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Media Relations
Kansas State University
9 Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-6415
media@k-state.edu

Information provided by K-State Media Relations, K-State's news service, may be reproduced without permission. The marks and names of Kansas State University are protected trademarks and may not be used in any commercial or private endeavor without the approval of the university.

Source: Gayle Doll, 785-532-5945, gdoll@k-state.edu
Photo available. Contact media@k-state.edu or 785-532-6415.
News release prepared by: Andy Badeker, 785-532-6415, media@k-state.edu

Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008

K-STATE PROFESSOR LEADS SPECIAL COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY FOR ALASKA GRADUATES

MANHATTAN -- The ceremony had all the pomp and circumstance associated with any graduation: professorial regalia, speeches, a torchlight procession, a wandering dog, the ritual burning of term papers...

Well, maybe not any graduation. This one took place this summer against the backdrop of a log home and the blue Alaska sky, where two Kansas State University distance education graduates marked the completion of their master's degrees with the help of Gayle Doll, K-State assistant professor in gerontology and director of the Center on Aging.

The notion started with a light-hearted e-mail to Doll from Sydney Eden and her mother, Sharon Wells, both of Anchorage, Alaska. Wells and Eden both earned master's degrees in gerontology through the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance, of which K-State is a member.

Their request: If Doll would bring their diplomas to Willow, Alaska -- which is outside Anchorage and just down the road from Sarah Palin's Wasilla -- Eden and Wells would put Doll up at the bed-and-breakfast they operate.

While Doll had only symbolic diplomas to hand over, other aspects of the ceremony left no doubt that a real academic event was in progress.

Eden and Wells rented the appropriate hoods and gowns. A lectern, made of a section of tree trunk, stood behind bouquets heavy with sunflowers. The proud graduates descended a torch-lit path, a tribute to the "Survivor" reality TV series, where before taking their seats for Doll's address, they barbecued their least favorite course work in an open pit.

Keeping close track of everything was Saucer.

"Saucer is 13 and a half years old, and as a geriatric dog was actually the topic of many things we wrote about for our classes," Eden said.

"They were excellent students, very strong, opinionated ladies who worked well in distance education," Doll said.

Wells and Eden worked in Alaska's court-designated guardian program before beginning their master's curriculum, and their experiences often ran counter to some of the theorizing of the assignments.

"That's exactly the kind of student we look for," Doll said. "It makes for a richer classroom environment."

Doll was happy to have the rare chance to mark such an important occasion with her far-flung students.

"The most beneficial part for me was to spend a morning with these two women, who had given real-world feedback and shared with others their experiences. Their insights might even lead to curriculum changes," Doll said.

Doll said she's open to participating in other distance commencements, one of which might happen in the coming spring. A gerontology conference in Paris could put Doll within striking distance of Spain, where Jake Quigley, graduate student in gerontology, Westmoreland, will be completing his course work while serving in the U.S. Navy.

The Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance is a consortium of 11 universities, including K-State, that offer online degree, certificate and course-share programs. Students learn in a self-paced environment, but the curriculum ensures that they receive the same quality of education as through on-campus course work. Students interact with instructors and diverse fellow students from across the country and internationally through e-mail, online chats, discussion boards and other methods.